Jessie Keith
Family
Lentibulariaceae
Botanical Name
PINGUICULA primuliflora
Plant Common Name
Southern Butterwort
General Description
Native to damp sites in the Gulf Coast region of the Southeast United States, this tender perennial is grown for its showy primrose-like flowers and its curious rosettes of insect-trapping leaves.
This evergreen perennial bears rosettes of fleshy, tongue-shaped, apple-green leaves that glisten with numerous blunt, droplet-producing, insect-snaring hairs. The leaf margins roll inward to further ensnare trapped insects, which are digested by glands on the leaf surface. Unlike many Pinguicula, primrose butterwort does not die back to a small winter rosette. Rounded, lilac-pink flowers with a white central halo and yellow throat are borne singly on short leafless stems in late winter and spring. The flowers have a long, greenish yellow, back-projecting spur.
This butterwort prospers in damp, acidic, infertile soil, full to partial sun, and high humidity. It thrives in cool winters, and will tolerate a brief touch of frost. It works well in peat beds or moist rock gardens in frost-free climates, and also makes an excellent greenhouse or terrarium plant. Potted plants do well in a porous, high-peat mix. Water freely from late spring to early fall, and reduce water and ambient temperature in winter. Propagate this tender perennial by seed or by offsets in early spring. It also reproduces by forming plantlets at its leaf tips.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
11 - 5
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USDA Hardiness Zone
8 - 11
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Plant Type
Tender Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
4"-6" / 10.2cm - 15.2cm
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Width
5"-8" / 12.7cm - 20.3cm
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Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Late Winter
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Native To
Southeastern United States
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Tolerances
Wet Site
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Growth Rate
Medium
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Water Requirements
Average Water, Ample Water
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Habit
Rosette/Stemless
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Bog Garden, Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Self-Sowing
Yes
